As soon as classes are over tomorrow I'll be headed out to CONtraflow II, which is being held at the Double Tree Hilton in Kenner, Louisiana, just off Williams Boulevard. Since I have three classes on Friday, and the first at 9:00, plus a meeting with students at 8:00 and 11:00, and a test at 2:00, I am going to have a very long day. I'll leave the house around 6:00 in the morning and probably won't be home until Midnight or later. It used to be easy for me to go for days like that. Not anymore. I don't much like getting older, though it's preferable to the alternative.
I won't be blogging over the weekend so it'll probably be Monday before I check in again. I trust everyone will get along fine without me.
In the meantime, I'm rather enjoying a big 80s book I got many years ago at a book sale and finally decided to read. It's called, The Writers, by Marilyn Lynch. The cover shows a curly haired male writer and a blonde female leaning close together, with a typewriter just below them. It's set at a writer's retreat, and features a mysterious obscene phone caller, a Hollywood hack hoping to get back to "serious" writing, a predatory female publishing executive who is looking to become an agent, a drunken male agent who is crashing and burning, an older creative writing instructor who is famous for his womanizing and who has suffered from a heart attack that is forcing him to change his ways, the writing instructor's much younger and hot to trot wife, the teacher's emasculated son, an ambitious writing convention organizer who is willing to use sex to get what she wants, a lonely wife who is into tanning and EST, and one really nice guy. Lots of jumping in and out of the sack, lots of emoting. But the writing is kind of fun and I'm actually rooting for a couple of the characters to get what they want.
Later,
Charles
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Have a great time at the con!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy! And avoid that alternative as LONG as possible!
ReplyDeleteAloha from Honolulu,
Comfort Spiral
=^..^=
> < } } ( ° >
Have fun, Charles, and come back and tell us all about it. That book's got an awful lot of characters even for a writer's retreat.
ReplyDeleteHave a good time Charles, I hope to hear more about it as soon as you can tell us.
ReplyDeleteWe'll be fine. The important thing is that you have a needed good time ;)
ReplyDeleteFor some reason the book you spoke of reminded me of Pablo Coelho's "The Winner Stands Alone." Have you read it?
ReplyDeleteIf not, pick it up. Fantastic reading.
Cheers!
Oh HELL NO...you do not take the week ends off! This is America the most productive society on the planet!!!!
ReplyDeleteOther than that enjoy yourself. I was reading your review and I think I know at least one person in reality that fits one of your character descriptions.
I know what you mean about getting older, when we broke all those bones all those years ago...we were pretty cavalier about them then eh? I have come to hate the barometer.
Keith, roger wilco!
ReplyDeleteCloudia, indeed.
Prashant, there are some minor characters as well. But it's one of those sprawling 80s epics.
David J., I will have reports next week.
Deka, I hope to.
Jeremy, no, haven't read it. Will check it out. Thanks for dropping by.
Mark, yeah, bones and other injuries use to just heal up on their own. it was like magic.
Enjoy the conference! I know what you mean about the getting old stuff.
ReplyDeleteenjoy the con... if you can stay awake ;)
ReplyDeletetell me about the 'getting older' crap! :P lol
i used to be able to go 2-1/2 to 3 days, partying or whatever
now, i'm lucky to sit at home for 10-12 HOURS... without napping! lol
The Writers: you know, if I ever go to a book convention this is exactly what I expect to find.
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that CONtraflow is just as exciting as the novel, but not nearly as stressful--especially if you're the character with the weak heart.
Hope you enjoy the conference!
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like the book has an interesting cast of characters.
Have a great time, my friend.
ReplyDeleteWell. Happy Columbus Day.
ReplyDelete...And you've been overworked.
I did have a spell of teacher burnout some years ago--probably explains how I got to be the way I am.
We in Canada, forever jumping the gun, it seems, are enjoying. Thanksgiving.
I am thanking God for having my fa-faculties restored.
Sounds like quite the cast of characters in that book. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteHave a great time this weekend. It seems the weekend is the only time I have had enough of a break to blog.
ReplyDeletesounds like an interesting book -- i'll have to check it out. have fun at the con.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteAlex J. Cavanaugh, you will discover more as you gain in age further,
laughingwolf, I so wanted a nap during Saturday and Sunday at the Con. I lived, but barely.
X. Dell, I’m probably the character with the weak brain. But at least I’m not the obscene phone caller.
The Golden Eagle, cast of characters indeed!
Bernard Lee DeLeo, thanks, man.
ivan, yeah, I don’t get off for Columbus day. Somebody suggested they call it Explorer’s day. I think that’s pretty good.
Travis Cody, a sprawling tale for sure.
sage, It may start getting more that way for me as the semester winds on.
Greg, I saw it on Goodreads but it had no reviews. Maybe no one else has ever read it.